Method of making axle housings



Feb; 7, 1933. D A WALLACE 96,990

METHOD OF MAKING AXLE HOUSINGS Filed Oct. 1, 19:50

AT ORNEY Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs 1 DAVID A. WALLACE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO CHRYSLER CORPORATION,

OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE METHOD OF MAKING AXLE HOUSINGS Application filed October 1, 1930. Serial No. 485,677.

This invention relates to an improved axle housing and method of forming the same.

Heretotore, in order to form articles of irregular contour, such as rear axle housings of motor vehicles, from a planular blank of sheet metal, it has been necessary to stamp out blanks of irregular contour or to build separate pieces of stock onto a rectangular blank so as to provide sufiicient material for the enlarged diii'erentia-l casing with which such axle housings are provided. In each case considerable labor is involved and large quantities of material are wasted.

The main objects of this invention are to provide a method for forming an axle housing from a single inte ral piece of sheet metal stock of irregular contour so as to obviate the waste of material involved in forming or building up irregular blanks; to provide a method for constructing a cylindrical sleeve and an integral, arcuate end portion which have axes that are normal to each other from a single piece or regular shaped stock; and to provide a method for constructing a differential casing and axle enclosing sleeve of substantially uniform thickness from a single integral piece of sheet material of substantially rectangular shape.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a piece of stock or blank from which one section of an axle housing is formed by my improved method.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the blank as it appears after a shearing operation.

Fig. 3 is aside elevation showing the stock as it appears after the first die forming operation in which the sheared end of the stock is otlset.

Fig. 4: is an end elevation of a partially formed axle housing at which stage the un sheared portion of the stock is channel shaped and the portions thereof adjacent the shear are spread apart substantially 90.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation showing a partially formed housing as it appears after its unsheared end has been formed into a cylindrical sleeve.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration, partly in section, showing the die forming operation by which the differential casing is shaped.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of an assembled axle housing.

Fi 8 is a transverse section taken on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

In the form shown, a substantially rectangular piece of sheet metal material 1 of suitable thickness is sheared longitudinally at 2 along its central axis from one end to a position intermediate its ends. An aperture 3 is then formed at the inner extremity of the shear 2 as shown in Fig. 2. The shear 2 and the aperture 3 may, if desired, be formed in a single operation.

The sheared end portion of the stock is then bent into the shape shown in Fig. 3 by a die forming, or other suitableoperation. During this step of the method the inner part 4 of the sheared end portion is struck downwardly at a slight inclination to the unsheared end along a transverse line 5 which is located substantially at the inner extremity of the shear 2, and the outer part of the sheared end portion is bent into a plane which is substantially parallel to the plane of the unsheared portion of the stock. The shear 2 divides the left end portion of the stock into two sections forming prongs 7 and 8 which are substantially equal in dimension to each other. The prongs 7 and 8 are preferably bent transversely into an arcuate shape, as illustrated in Figs. 3, at and 5, during the operation in which the offset is formed.

The unsheared portion 6 of the stock is bent into a channel shape, shown in Fig. l, by suitable dies or other bending mechanism and during this operation the prongs 7 and 8 are spread apart substantially 90. The channel shown in Fig. 4, is then formed into a cylindrical tube by bringing the edges of the channel together with the aid of suitable dies. At the end of this operation the article appears as illustrated in Fig. 5 and has a groove 9 between the edges which have been forced together. These edges are then welded along the groove 9, thus forming a substantial integral tubular sleeve 10 of cylindrical shape. The prongs 7 and 8 are spread further apart during the sleeve forming operation and when the edges of the sides of the channel abut each other, the prongs are located on diametrically opposite sides I J axle of a vehicle 'and" the prongs 7' and 8' are shaped in the'abovemanner so as to proi ,videahalf section of a'casing for thediflerential with which theaxleis connected! The f ate 7W 3 and 1 esp c ve y a inst which theprongs 7' and 8 are; pressed by a ram Having fa substantially semi-'cylindri- C ll head 16. The thickn ess of the head 16 and the widthofthe recesses isless' than the Width of the'prongs r' and -8,"and"th uis when thehousing is placed in] the dies, the

edges of'the prongs protrude beyond the sides of the head and recesses: 'lheram 15 has an inclined outer extremity 17' against which.

an actuating member l8 having a correspond recesses. Those portions of the prongsT and 8, which protrude beyond thfesides of the "head 16 are bent substantially normal to the edges of the prongs.

, portions 'of the: prongs which are s pressed against the arcuatewalls 13 and 1 l ,'f0 ming ges 20, and 21 ontherespe'ctively opposite Twohousing sections of; he typeshownin I Fig; 1.6 are assembled togetherjin thei'man'ner illustrated in Figs; 7 and placlng the r extremities of the enlarged semi-cylindrical ends-of the sections inregistration with each other and securing the same together welding'." A ring 22 is preferablyplaced adjacent the flange during assembling of the-housingsections and is sp'ot welded in place so as 1 l a to provide areinforcementinthe different al I casingon the front side-thereof." The'flange' 20 and reinforcement '22 is provided with apertures 23 for receiving the bolts by which therear-bearing housing Offth main drive shaft of avehicle is secured to.thedifl'erential casing, Split ring sections, not shown,

may be' used. for lntegral r ng. 7

t ispn pe en P c bf n Although but one specific embodiment of 'tliisinVention has herein been shown and describedyit will be understood 'thatvarious, 66 changes in, the size, shape and'arrangement of parts maybe made without departing from the spirit of my invention and it is not ymy intention to limit its scope other than -by the ternis'ofthe appended claims,

f "What lclaim isf:'"" v p V. 'lQ rThe method of'manufacturing an axle sheared portion of said stock into a tube,

' thereby placing the portions of said stock adj agent; said shear on diametrically: opposite sides of said tube, and bending said portions into-an arcuate shape. i

2. The method,of manufacturing an ax e V I I h V teasing which consistsinshearing a"piece"of" sleeve 10 is received by the die'parts need? which are provided with registering, ire-g1- ,cessesf for receiving the prongs 7 and 8. The v recesses of the die parts 11 and 1'2'have arcu mtal'stock at oneend, forming an offset in sides arena tube, and simultaneously bondadjacent said shear on diametrically opposite vingsaidjportions into anarcuate'shape'and forming flan-gesontheedges ther'q 'f i '3. The method of 'manufacturing an 'axle' housingwhich"consists in shearing a piece' of' sheetcmetal stock longitudinally at one'end,

forming an offset inthe' sheared end portion thereof, bending; the unsheared end of said stock 'longitudinallyinto a channel shape, 7.

thereby initially spreading the portions of 'sa idfstock;adjacent the shear, bendingthe edges of; the ich'annel part together. so as to form a; tube *at" the unsheared "end of said stock and to. position 1 the spread'f portions on "opposite; side of-said tube, and bending f 4-. The "method of manufacturing an' a xle housing WhichcoiiSists in shearing a piece of sheet metal stock longitudinally at one end,

said {spread portions into an arcuate shape thereafter;

formingyan-offset the sheared end portion thereof, bending the'unsheared end ofstock longitudinallyinto a hannel shape, thereby initially'spreading the portions of said stock acent the shear, bending the edges ofthe 7 channel part togetherso as to form a tube at the unsheared end-of said'stock, and to position the spread portions on oppositeside of said tube, welding said edges, and bending said spread portion'sfinto an arcuate shape therafter. 1 V

"5-." method of manufacturing a tubular articlehaving an enlargedend portion of substantia-lly'arcuate shape,'the axes of the tubular'and enlarged end portions being substantially normal to each other, which consists, in shearing a pieceof sheet metalstock lohgitudinally atone and, bending the sheared-end portion-er the sto'ck'atan inclination to the plane of the unsheared-fportion, forming the; unshealred portion of said sheet into a tubular shape and simultaneously spreading apart the inclined portions of said'sheet 'so as to position said spread portions; on diametrically opposite side s ofsaid' unsheared tubular portion, andforming said inclined portionsinto aroui t p I H H -6'. =Themethod of manufacturing anaide housing including anaxlereceiving sleeve and a' different al caslng wh1ch conslstsain shearing one end of a planular piece of stock so as to provide a pair of prongs, forming the unsheared end of said stock into a tubular sleeve and positioning one of said prongs on each side thereof, and forming said prongs into an arcuate shape so as to provide one section of the difierential casing.

7. The method of manufacturing a rear axle housing which consists in shearing the end of a substantially rectangular piece of sheet metal stock so as to provide adjacent prongs, displacing said prongs from the plane of the unsheared end of said stock, bending the unsheared end of said stock into a tubular shape and thereby spreading said prongs substantially 180 apart, and bending said prongs into arcuate shape.

8. The method of manufacturing a rear axle housing which consists in shearing the end of a substantially rectangular piece of sheet metal stock so as to provide adjacent prongs, displacing said prongs from the plane of the unsheared end of said stock, bending the unsheared end of said stock into a tubular shape and thereby spreading said prongs substantially 180 apart, and simultaneously bending said prongs into arcuate shape and forming side flanges thereon.

9. The method of forming an axle housing assembly including spaced axle receiving sleeves and an intermediate casing which consists in shearing one end of each of a pair of planular pieces of stock so as to provide a pair of prongs on each piece of stock,

forming the unsheared ends of said stock into tubular sleeves and positioning one prong on each side of said sleeves, forming said prongs into an arcuate shape so as to provide one section of the diiferential casing on each sleeve and securing said differential casing sections together.

10. The method of forming an axle housing assembly including spaced axle receiving sleeves and an intermediate casing which consists in shearing one end of each of a pair of planular pieces of stock so as to provide a pair of prongs on each piece of stock, forming the unsheared ends of said stock into tubular sleeves and positioning one prong on each side of said sleeves, forming the pair of prongs with each sleeve substantially to semicylindrical shape so as to provide a halfsection of the differential casing on each sleeve, bending the end portions of the differential casing sections inwardlv. placing rings adjacent the inwardly turning end portions of said half differential casing sections, and securing said inwardly turning end portions to respectively opposite segments of said rings.

DAVID A. WALLACE. 

